Electrical potential distribution plug type adapter, method for equipping an electrical distributor device

The invention relates to an electrical potential distribution plug type adapter, in particular a fused plug type adapter, for electrically contacting a connection device of an electrical component for the automotive sector. The invention further relates to a method for

equipping an electrical distributor device, in particular a fuse box, for connection devices of electrical components for the automotive sector. The invention further relates to a corresponding electrical distributor device, in particular a fuse box, and an electrical cable which is manufactured in accordance therewith or a cable harness for a distributor device .

In electronics and electrical engineering, there are known a large number of electrical connections, in particular plug type connections, which serve to transmit electrical currents, electrical voltages and/or electrical signals with the greatest possible range of currents, voltages, frequencies and/or data rates. In particular in the automotive sector, such connections must temporarily, where applicable after a long period of time, or permanently ensure correct transmission of electrical power, signals and/or data under thermally loaded, dirty, damp and/or chemically aggressive conditions. Owing to a large range of applications for connections, a large number of specially constructed connectors, in particular plug type connectors, are known.

Such connectors or the (plug type) connector housings thereof may be securely fitted to an electrical line, a cable, a cable harness or on/in an electrical device of an electrical, electronic or electro-optical distributor or apparatus. If the connector is located on a cable or cable harness, it is usually referred to as a (floating) plug type and/or socket connector, or a connector or a coupling; if the connector is located on/in an electrical or electronic device, it is usually referred to as a flush type contact installation or device or a flush type socket.

For an electrical on-board power supply network of a motor vehicle, a large number of electrical consumers must be connected at the same electrical potential which is carried out in most cases by means of a distributor. Attempts are constantly being made to improve such

distributors, with integration of a large number of functionalities, providing greater flexibility for the components involved and/or saving costs being of great significance. In particular owing to the integration of a plurality of functionalities in a single distributor, cost

advantages can be achieved. Furthermore, cost savings become possible owing to simplified assembly methods.

DE 197 33 328 Al discloses an electrical plug type connector for potential distribution having a housing of plastics material and an electrical contact element which is arranged therein and which has a connection strip and a large number of pin contacts which extend away at one side from the connection strip. The contact element is arranged with the pin contacts thereof partially in through-openings through a partition wall of the housing so that the pin contacts are provided in a region for electrical potential distribution and the connection strip is provided in a second region of the housing. The connection strip of the contact element has at least two portions which extend parallel with each other and which are constructed integrally via a bent central portion.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved electrical

distributor device, in particular an improved potential distributor device, preferably a fuse box, for electrical components for the automotive sector. In this instance, a comparatively cost-effective distribution of an electrical potential over a plurality of lines and consequently consumers of a motor vehicle is intended to be possible. It is further intended to be possible to equip an already existing

distributor device with the solution according to the invention.

Furthermore, an object of the invention is to set out a method for equipping a distributor device, in particular a fuse box, for the automotive sector. Furthermore, a manufactured electrical cable or a cable harness is intended to be provided.

An object of the invention is achieved with an electrical potential distribution plug type adapter, in particular a fused plug type adapter, for electrically contacting a connection device of an electrical component for the automotive sector according to claim 1; by a method for equipping an electrical distributor device, in particular a fuse box, for connection devices of electrical components according to claim 9; by means of an electrical distributor device, in particular a potential distributor device according to claim 11; and a manufactured electrical cable or cable harness for connection to an electrical distributor device according to claim 12. Advantageous developments, additional features and/or advantages of the invention will be appreciated from the dependent claims and the following description.

The electrical potential distribution plug type adapter according to the invention, which is referred to below as a plug type adapter, in particular the fused plug type adapter, has an adapter housing which is constructed in such a manner that it can be directly received, in particular can be engaged, in a distributor housing, an electrical potential distributor contact device - referred to below as a contact device - being received inside the adapter housing. The plug type adapter or the adapter housing is preferably constructed in such a manner that both an electrical contacting of the connection device and an electrical contacting of a plurality of electrical lines or an electrical cable or cable harness can be configured and/or is configured only within the adapter housing.

In embodiments of the invention, the contact device has a plug type contact portion and a potential distributor portion, the connection device being able to be electrically contacted by means of the plug type contact portion, and the plurality of lines or the cable or cable harness being able to be contacted and/or being contacted electrically by means of the potential distributor portion. In this instance, the plug type contact portion may have a fork type contact as an electrical contact, and/or the potential distributor portion may have a plurality of electrical pin contacts as electrical contacts, in particular three, four or five pin contacts. It is also possible in this instance, instead of the fork contact and/or the pin contacts, to use any contact portion or any contact portions on a contact device.

The potential distributor portion or the electrical pin contacts can be contacted and/or are contacted within the adapter housing either by means of an electrical additional connector which can be placed therein, for example, a cable harness connector, or in particular directly by means of electrical additional contact devices, in particular socket contact devices, such as, for example, NanoMQS socket contact devices. It is further preferable to construct the contact device or the plug contact portion with the potential distributor portion in an integral manner - that is to say, the individual components thereof cannot be readily separated manually or by means of a tool, and optionally not without damaging the individual components thereof -, in a materially integral manner - that is to say, the individual components thereof (if there are integral components) are secured to each other in a materially integral manner - or in an integral manner - that is to say, there is only a single component which can be separated quasi only by being destroyed.

The adapter housing preferably has for at least one contact device a contact chamber in which the plug type contact portion of the contact device is received. In this instance, the contact chamber may be in fluid connection with a contact chamber bundle, into which the plurality of pin contacts of the contact device protrude and a plurality of additional contact devices can be accommodated and/or are accommodated. Preferably, there protrudes in each individual contact chamber of the contact chamber bundle a single pin contact, which can be contacted and/or is contacted electrically by an individual additional contact device.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, at least one contact device is received in an individual contact chamber in two planes which are preferably offset parallel with each other in a depth direction of the plug type adapter. The pin contacts of the two contact devices are in this instance also received in their individual contact chambers in two planes which are offset relative to each other and can be contacted and/or are contacted electrically at that location by the additional contact devices. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, two such contact device pairs are provided beside each other in a transverse direction of the plug type adapter in an individual contact chamber, in particular in alignment in a transverse direction.

The plug type adapter according to the invention may be constructed as a floating plug type adapter and/or a plug type module. Furthermore, the plug type adapter may be constructed as a mass distribution plug type adapter. In embodiments of the invention, a single additional contact device is connected to an individual electrical line, a plurality of such lines being able to be combined to form a cable or a cable harness.

Furthermore, the plug type adapter may have a contact securing member for locking an electrical contact device of an electrical apparatus, in particular a distributor. Furthermore, the plug type adapter may act as an insertion or flush contact device in an electrical apparatus or a distributor or a housing thereof.

In the method for equipping an electrical distributor device, the distributor device has at least one conventional insertion location for a connection device. An electrical potential distribution plug type adapter which is preferably floating and which is manufactured with an electrical cable or an electrical cable harness, is provided, in particular engaged, according to the invention on/in the distributor device. In this instance, the plug type adapter may be constructed as the plug type adapter explained above. Furthermore, the plug type adapter may be constructed in such a manner that, when the plug type adapter is provided on/in the distributor device, an electrical contact device is locked in the conventional insertion location by means of a contact securing member of the plug type adapter.

The electrical distributor device according to the invention, in

particular the potential distributor device or the fuse box, has an electrical potential distribution plug type adapter according to the invention, and/or the distributor device is manufactured with the method according to the invention or equipped with a plug type adapter according to the invention. The manufactured electrical cable according to the invention or the manufactured electrical cable harness according to the invention has an electrical potential distribution plug type adapter according to the invention.

According to the invention, a distributor device which is constructed individually or a conventional distributor device may be provided with the plug type adapter according to the invention. In the most simple case, this is simply a collar or a receiving member in which the plug type adapter is provided, in particular engaged, for which reason the plug type adapter and the collar or the receiving member have catch devices which correspond to each other or which complement each other. Other possibilities for securing, for example, clip-fitting or adhesive bonding, can naturally be used. According to the invention, a comparatively cost- effective distribution of an electrical potential over a plurality of lines is possible. In this instance, a pin and/or socket housing may be dispensed with and it is further possible to use the plug type adapter as a retainer, for example, in hybrid housings. The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to embodiments and the appended drawings. In the Figures (Figs.) of the drawings :

Figure 1 is a three-dimensional exploded view of an adapter housing when being equipped with electrical potential distributor contact devices for a first embodiment of an electrical potential distribution plug type adapter according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded view similar to Figure 1 during the electrical contacting operation of the equipped adapter housing, on the one hand, by a contact device of a fuse and, on the other hand, by a cable harness; Figure 3 is a three-dimensional exploded view of a second embodiment of the potential distribution plug type adapter according to the invention during assembly in a partially illustrated distributor housing which is constructed as a fuse box;

Figure 4 is a perspective view sectioned in the longitudinal and transverse direction of the second embodiment of the plug type adapter in an assembled state in the distributor housing;

Figure 5 is a perspective view sectioned in the longitudinal and depth direction of the second embodiment of the plug type adapter in the assembly position thereof in the distributor housing;

Figure 6 is an oblique perspective view from above of a third embodiment of the potential distribution plug type adapter according to the invention during assembly in a distributor housing according to the invention which is constructed as a fuse box;

Figure 7 is an oblique perspective front view of the distributor housing of Figure 6 with the third embodiment of the plug type adapter in the assembly position thereof; and

Figure 8 is a broken-away three-dimensional cross-section in the longitudinal and transverse direction of the distributor housing of Figure 7 according to the invention.

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to three embodiments (Figures 1 and 2, Figures 3 to 5, Figures 6 to 8) of an electrical potential distributor 20, in particular a potential

distribution plug type adapter 20 - referred to below as a plug type adapter 20 or module 20 - for a motor vehicle. In this instance, the plug type adapter 20 is configured as a floating plug type connector 20 which is provided on an electrical cable 4 or cable harness 4 - only a cable harness 4 is referred to below and the term cable 4 is intended to be included therein. The cable harness 4 is connected in this instance to an on-board electrical supply network of the motor vehicle. The plug type adapter 20 and the cable harness 4 result in a manufactured cable harness 4 or a manufactured plug type adapter 20.

The plug type adapter 20 may take on the function of a module 20, optionally together with other similar modules 20 or modules according to the prior art, for example, for an electrical current, voltage, hybrid or potential distributor device 1 or a general distributor 1 or an

electrical or electronic appliance, in particular a fuse box 1 (see in particular Figure 7) . That is to say, the plug type adapter 20 may be constructed as a distributor module, a flush type, insertion type or introduction type contact apparatus or device for such a distributor 1 or an appliance. Naturally, the invention is not limited to such

applications, but can be used in principle on all applications for potential distribution, that is to say, for example, including outside the automotive sector.

Two main features characterise the invention, on the one hand,

construction of the potential distributor 20 as a plug type adapter 20 and, on the other hand, a configuration of a potential distributor contact device 300 which is contained therein - referred to below as a contact device 300. Preferably, those two features are provided together, but may also be produced separately from each other on/in a potential distributor 20 (not illustrated in the drawings) . That is to say, therefore, on the one hand, a potential distributor 20 as a plug type adapter 20 without any contact device 300 according to the invention and, on the other hand, a potential distributor 20, for example, as a device or apparatus, having at least one contact device 300 according to the invention .

Figures 1 and 2 show the first embodiment of the plug type adapter 20 according to the invention which has an adapter housing 200 and an electrical additional connector 202, which is preferably constructed as a cable harness connector 202 and in particular as a socket contact connector 202. In the adapter housing 200, two contact devices 300 are received in a contact chamber 210. The adapter housing 200 may naturally be constructed in such a manner that only one or more than two (see below) contact devices 300 can be received. An individual elongate and flat contact device 300 has a plug type contact portion 301 as a first portion 301 and a potential distributor portion 302 or additional contact portion

302 as a second portion 302.

The plug type contact portion 301 serves to electrically contact at least one electrical connection device 50 of an electrical component 50, for example, a fuse 50. The connection device 50 may, for example, be constructed as a contact flap 50, contact pin or a general contact portion. The potential distributor portion 302 - as already indicated by its name - is configured to distribute an electrical potential. That is to say, it itself distributes the same electrical potential which is present thereon per se to a plurality of locations, from which the potential can be tapped. This can be carried out by means of

corresponding electrical additional contact devices 420, to which electrical lines are in turn connected. Figure 2 shows by way of example such a prefabricated electrical line 400.

The plug type contact portion 301 is constructed in this instance as a fork type contact 310 and the potential distributor portion 302 has a plurality of pin contacts 320. In this instance, there are five pin contacts 320; of course, any number of pin contacts 320 may be provided, as long as there are two or more pin contacts 320. Reference may be made to the second embodiment of the invention, in which four pin contacts 320 are used in this instance. It is naturally possible, in place of a fork type contact 310, to use another contact, for example, a socket contact or a pin or a stud contact. This also applies to the potential

distributor portion 302. In general, both the plug contact portion 301, any contact portion 310 and/or the potential distributor portion 302 may have a plurality of any contact portions 320.

The contact devices 300 are arranged in the contact chamber 210 with the flat sides thereof beside each other, the plug contact portions 301 of the contact devices 300 being able to touch each other. At least one, but preferably both, contact device (s) 300 has/have a transition portion 330 from the plug contact portion 301 to the potential distributor portion 302. The transition portion 330 is configured in such a manner that it rises from the plane of the plug contact portion 301 and arranges the potential distributor portion 302 preferably in a plane which is offset parallel with the plug contact portion 301. This can be seen clearly in cross-section in Figure 5. The pin contacts 320 of the potential distributor portion 302, in addition to their already existing spacings, are thereby spaced apart from each other in the transverse direction Q of the adapter housing 200 in a depth direction. The pin contacts 320 in this instance protrude freely inwards inside the adapter housing 200 in a rear region in an assembly position of the contact devices 300 in the adapter housing 200. This side of the adapter housing 200 can be electrically contacted by the cable harness connector 202, for which reason the cable harness connector 202 can be moved forwards into the adapter housing 200. The additional contact devices 420 of the cable harness connector 202 in this instance individually contact the pin contacts of the two contact devices 300.

At the opposing side of the adapter housing 200, the fork type contacts 310 of the two contact devices 300 can be electrically contacted by the connection device 50 of the component 5. In this instance, an electrical four-point contacting of the fork type contacts 310 is formed with the connection device 50, which can be moved forwards between the two tines of the fork type contacts 310 in each case. Reference may also be made in this regard to Figures 4 and 5. The adapter housing 200 itself can be provided, in particular engaged, according to invention in a distributor housing 2, appliance housing 2, hybrid housing 2 or socket housing 2 and at that location in particular in a collar 22 for the plug type adapter 20. This is set out in greater detail below with reference to the second embodiment, the features explained relating to the second or third embodiment being able to be applied to the first embodiment of the invention .

Figures 3 to 5 show by way of example the second embodiment of the plug type adapter 20 according to the invention, which simply comprises an adapter housing 200 with contact devices 300 located therein; the cable harness connector 202 is omitted and is produced according to the second embodiment by the adapter housing 200. That is to say, in the second embodiment, a component is saved and the cable harness connector 202 no longer has to be manufactured, the connection with respect to the adapter housing 200 further being dispensed with. The second embodiment of the invention is substantially explained with reference to differences with respect to the first embodiment, the common features explained in relation to the first embodiment accordingly also being able to be applied to the second embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 shows an assembly of the manufactured plug adapter 20 in a collar 22 of a distributor housing 2, appliance housing 2, hybrid housing 2 or socket housing 2, the individual prefabricated lines 400 not being illustrated. For better understanding, only one line 400 which is prefabricated with an additional contact device 420 is illustrated in an exploded position with respect to the adapter housing 200 or the plug adapter 20. The adapter housing 200 and consequently the contact devices 300 which are located therein are constructed in such a manner that 16 prefabricated lines 400 can be assembled in the adapter housing 200 and the pin contacts 320 of the contact devices 300 are electrically contacted. It is naturally possible to construct the adapter housing 200 and optionally the contact devices 300 for another number of lines 400.

In contrast to the first embodiment, this embodiment has four contact devices 300, each having a contact portion 310 which is preferably constructed as a fork type contact 310 and which is preferably

constructed in a materially integral or integral manner via the

transition portion 330 with the contact portions 320 which are preferably constructed as pin contacts 320. Reference may be made in this regard to Figures 4 and 5. The four contact devices 300 are in this instance arranged beside each other as two contact device pairs 300, 300, whereby two insertion locations 10 according to the invention for two connection devices 50 of two electrical components 5 are formed and in this instance are fuses 5 again.

In this embodiment, the contact device pairs 300, 300 are provided beside each other in the transverse direction Q with the plug type contact portions 301 thereof in a single contact chamber 210 via an electrically insulating air gap. It is naturally possible to configure in this instance two contact chambers 210, that is to say, to replace the air gap by a material portion of the adapter housing 200. Further downwards in the longitudinal direction L (with reference to Figures 4 and 5), the contact chamber 210 merges into a contact chamber bundle 220 having a plurality of individual contact chambers 222 for the additional contact devices 420. That is to say that each pin contact 320 of the potential distributor portions 301 is preferably further arranged in a separate individual contact chamber 222.

Within the individual contact chambers 222, the additional contact devices 420 which are preferably configured as socket contact devices 420 contact the pin contacts 310 (not illustrated in the drawings). Preferred socket contact devices 420 are NanoMQS socket contact devices 420 (MQS: Micro Quadlock System) . For securing of the additional contact devices 420 in the individual contact chambers 222, the adapter housing 200 may preferably have for each row of additional contact devices 420 a contact securing member 240 (see Figure 5) . In this instance, it is further preferable for an individual additional contact device 420 to engage in the individual contact chamber 222 thereof by means of a locking flap which is preferably provided integrally thereon.

In the second embodiment of the invention, the plug type adapter 20 is constructed as a floating manufactured distributor module 20 or cable harness connector housing 20 which can be provided directly in the distributor 2 or a housing. In the assembly position, a catch device 230, in particular a catch flap 230, of the adapter housing 200 engages on a catch device 23, in particular a catch projection 23 of the distributor 2 or the housing (see Figure 4) . For the assembly (see Figure 3), the manufactured cable harness 4 (cf. Figure 2) only has to be inserted in an insertion direction St into the distributor 2 or the housing. In this instance, the distributor 2 or the housing has a collar 22 for this purpose, in which the plug type adapter 20 is secured.

According to the invention, the manufactured cable harness 4 or the plug type adapter 20 is constructed in such a manner that the plug type adapter 20 in each case provides one insertion location 10 for one electrical pole, that is to say, one individual connection device 50, of the component 5. An associated second insertion location, for example, an insertion location 12 according to the prior art for a relevant second connection device 50 of the component 5 may be provided on a printed circuit board 3 (see Figures 3 to 5) or an electrical device, such as, for example, a socket housing 2 (see Figures 6 to 8). The printed circuit board 3 or the electrical device is electrically connected to the onboard power supply network of the motor vehicle.

Figures 6 to 8 show by way of example the third embodiment of the plug type adapter 20 according to the invention which is similar to the second embodiment. The third embodiment is substantially explained with reference to differences with respect to the second embodiment, the common features explained in relation to the first and second embodiments accordingly also being able to be applied to the third embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the plug type adapter 20 or the

distributor module 20 is integrated in a socket housing 2 and forms at the same time a contact securing member for the electrical contact devices thereof (not illustrated in the drawings).

The socket housing 2 is illustrated in Figures 6 to 8 with the lower side directed upwards. For better orientation, the electrical components 5 which can be inserted and which are constructed as fuses 5 are

illustrated in Figure 7. The socket housing 2 has a plurality of insertion locations 12 according to the prior art for the connection devices 50 of the components 5. In this instance, it is preferable for the insertion locations 12 to be configured in two rows in the socket housing 2. The socket housing 2 has, in a corner region, a recess which complements the plug type adapter 20 and inside which the plug type adapter 20 can be received in a positive-locking manner.

In this embodiment, the plug type adapter 20 can no longer be inserted into a collar 22 from the rear, but instead is inserted laterally into the socket housing 2. To this end, the plug type adapter 20 has a contact securing member 250 which protrudes laterally and which, on the one hand, guides the plug type adapter 20 with respect to the socket housing 2 when it is assembled and, on the other hand, at the same time produces a contact securing member 250 for at least one electrical contact device (not illustrated in the drawings) in an insertion location 12 of the socket housing 2. In this instance, the contact securing member 250 can be inserted into a corresponding recess 25 of the socket housing 2.

The contact securing member 250 and the socket housing 2 or the recess 25 are preferably constructed in such a manner that the contact securing member 250 secures all the contact devices of the socket housing 2. In this instance, the recess 25 is constructed between the two rows of the insertion locations 12 in such a manner that it intersects with the contact chambers for the contact devices in such a manner that, when the contact securing member 250 is moved forwards into the recess 25, the contact securing member 250 secures or locks the contact devices which are located in the insertion locations 12. List of reference numerals

1 Electrical (current/voltage/hybrid/potential) distributor device, distributor, appliance, fuse box

2 Distributor /appliance/hybrid/socket housing having insertion locations 10, 12

3 Printed circuit board, electrically connected to on- board power supply network

4 (Manufactured) electrical cable harness, (manufactured) cable, electrically connected to on-board power supply network

5 Electrical component, for example, fuse

10 Insertion location according to the invention, for connection device 50

12 Insertion location according to the prior art, for connection device 50

20 (Floating) , (manufactured) electrical potential distribution

(fused) plug type adapter/module, distributor module, flush

type/insertion type/introduction type contact apparatus or device

22 Collar for plug type adapter 20

23 Catch device, in particular catch projection

25 Recess for contact securing member 250

50 Electrical connection device of the components 5, for example, contact flap, contact pin, contact portion

200 Adapter housing, cable harness connector housing

202 Electrical additional connector, cable harness connector, in particular socket contact connector (only first embodiment)

210 Contact chamber for contact device (s) 300

220 Contact chamber bundle for additional contact devices 420 222 Individual contact chamber for additional contact device 420 230 Catch device, in particular catch flap

240 Contact securing member for additional contact devices 420 250 Contact securing member for electrical contact device in an insertion location 12

300 Electrical potential distributor contact device, fork type contact device, socket contact device, pin/stud contact device, hermaphrodite

301 Insertion contact portion, first portion

302 Potential distributor portion, additional contact portion, second portion 31 0 Electrical contact, contact portion, fork type contact, socket contact, pin/stud contact

32 0 Electrical contact, contact portion, pin/stud contact

33 0 Transition portion

40 0 (Prefabricated) electrical line

42 0 Electrical additional contact device, in particular socket contact device, preferably NanoMQS (MQS: Micro Quadlock System)

L Longitudinal extent of the plug type adapter 2 0

Q Transverse extent of the plug type adapter 2 0

St Insertion direction of the plug type adapter 2 0